I've spent my career harnessing the spirit of creative disruption. My journey has been non-traditional at every step: I've been a professional jazz guitarist, 4-time tech entrepreneur, hyper-growth CEO, New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, venture capitalist, and urban reinventor. Today I lead Detroit Venture Partners, helping to rebuild my hometown of Detroit, Michigan by backing passionate entrepreneurs who can make a difference in our challenged city. It is a thrill to have a front-row seat to the greatest urban turnaround story in American history. I also am a frequent keynote speaker on innovation, creativity, and reinvention. I've written two books - Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity and The Road to Reinvention: How to Drive Disruption and Accelerate Transformation. My mission in life is to help the world be more creative. And yes, I still play a mean jazz guitar. More on me at JoshLinkner.com .

Are You A Space Shuttle Or Bottle Rocket?

Shortly after a bottle rocket launches with explosive velocity, it uses up all its energy and fizzles out. The initial burst of power is quickly subdued as the rocket soars without clear aim and then crashes to earth, expired and no longer usable. On the other hand, we’ve all seen the majestic launches of space shuttles and the equally moving returns of these vessels after orbit. These incredible machines use a tremendous amount of leverage and as a result are able to get into orbit, becoming enduring and sustainable.

Their teams are all sizzle and no steak. It’s important to have a big, exciting vision, and it’s equally important to be able to get others excited about that concept. But, once the whiz-bang presentation is over, can you back that up with substance? Are you able to actually get the job done? Having an execution-focused team is crucial, since ultimately, your ability to deliver on plans and hold yourself and your team accountable will be the fuel that gets you into orbit.

Their product was created atop an ivory tower. Overly intellectual models may delight their creators yet simultaneously flop in the real world. I’ve seen far too many elegant business concepts end up in the graveyard because their heady ideas cant translate into reality. It’s the equivalent of a wide-eyed architect who designs a dream home that looks great on the blueprint but can’t be constructed in the field. As early as possible, come downstairs, out of that tower, and ask real people about the value of your proposed product or service. Test your assumptions. Make sure your ideas can be built and executed. See how it works with actual customers so your new product launch doesn’t fizzle out as fast as a backyard flight ignited by a match.

Duct-tape holds together the engineering. You need to get something done fast and out the door, which is the challenge for any entrepreneur or growth leader. However, as the product scales, your engineering should be designed to withstand heavy traffic flow, multiple functions simultaneously, and nuanced actions – all at the same time, with precision. Once your product lifts off, you must quickly move from a ticky-tacky approach to building a solid foundation for scale. In flight, the space shuttle goes through many phases after launch (entering orbit, the mission itself, re-entering our atmosphere, landing). Similarly, if you don’t adapt to the new challenges brought on by growth and customer demand, you could be heading for a crash. Getting 100,000 people to download your new app is fantastic, but if your technology crumbles under the weight you’ve just tanked your opportunity.

The leader has tunnel vision. For inter-stellar orbit to be achieved, adaptability is crucial. By contrast, since bottle rockets only are designed to do one thing, they don’t need to change course or componentry – they’re only capable of achieving the singular flight anyway. If you as a leader are unwilling to change and adapt in real time (as a reaction to consumer need, market circumstance, funding, or team capability), you’re only going to fly about as far as that hapless bottle rocket; you’ll only be equipped to make that singular, short-lived flight and your fate is set before you get off the ground. Reinvent early and often and build a team that eats stagnation for breakfast.

The company fails to build trust. A space shuttle doesn’t operate with one person, or even one team for that matter. It takes cross-functional teams and dozens of experts to get a crew launched, into orbit, to their mission’s completion, and ultimately home safely. If the crew aboard the spacecraft isn’t trusted by the command center on the ground, or vice versa, the mission is doomed. If you haven’t lived by your word, upheld your promises, or delivered on your commitments, your company will suffer an equally dismal result. Trust is the foundation of all interactions – with customers, investors, competitors, and suppliers – so make sure you establish your credible reputation before liftoff, ensuring a safe flight.

Blasting through startup gravity is tough, but generating sustainability for startups is one of the most difficult endeavors you’ll face. That being said, if you’re able to come up with a bold product that customers want and deliver upon that promise time and again in a respectful manner, your company’s success will be as magnificent as a space shuttle taking off for its next voyage. What are you waiting for? As the saying goes, “this isn’t rocket science.”

For an inside view into my world as a VC, entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker, visit JoshLinkner.com and order my new book, “The Road to Reinvention,” on Amazon.

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